diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 04f2d4f6..ee1c8d27 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
 Each entry lists the date and the crate versions that were released.
 
+## 2026-07-30 — mqdb-cli 0.8.23, mqdb-agent 0.8.16, mqdb-cluster 0.4.7
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Agent and cluster nodes shut down gracefully on SIGINT/SIGTERM, and wipe temp secret files.** Neither `mqdb agent start` nor `mqdb cluster start` installed signal handlers, so `Ctrl-C`/`docker stop`/`systemctl stop` killed the process immediately — skipping graceful shutdown, and leaving inline-secret temp files (passwd/ACL/SCRAM/JWT/QUIC content passed via `MQDB_*` env vars, written to `${TMPDIR}/mqdb-env-secrets-{pid}/` with `0o600`) on disk until reboot. Both commands now handle `Ctrl-C` (all platforms) and `SIGTERM` (unix): they signal the agent's existing shutdown channel, await graceful task drain, and remove the process-scoped temp secret directory. The agent's `run`/`start` also now race the broker against the shutdown channel, so `MqdbAgent::shutdown()` actually stops the broker instead of only signalling the auxiliary tasks. `ClusteredAgent` gains a `shutdown_handle()` so a signal task can trigger shutdown while `run(&mut self)` is executing.
+
 ## 2026-07-27 — mqdb-cli 0.8.22, mqdb-core 0.7.7, mqdb-agent 0.8.15, mqdb-cluster 0.4.6
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index c03b6ac9..076fc7bb 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "mqdb-agent"
-version = "0.8.15"
+version = "0.8.16"
 dependencies = [
  "arc-swap",
  "argon2",
@@ -1455,7 +1455,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "mqdb-cli"
-version = "0.8.22"
+version = "0.8.23"
 dependencies = [
  "base64",
  "bebytes",
@@ -1482,7 +1482,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "mqdb-cluster"
-version = "0.4.6"
+version = "0.4.7"
 dependencies = [
  "arc-swap",
  "bebytes",
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 63d26b11..257b0f18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -955,6 +955,8 @@ docker run -d \
   mqdb:latest agent start
 ```
 
+**Graceful shutdown.** `agent start` and `cluster start` handle `SIGINT` (Ctrl-C) and `SIGTERM` (`docker stop`, `systemctl stop`, Kubernetes pod termination): the node drains its tasks and shuts down cleanly instead of being killed mid-operation. Inline secrets (the `MQDB_*` variables above, without the `_FILE` suffix) are written to a process-scoped `${TMPDIR}/mqdb-env-secrets-{pid}/` directory with `0600` permissions and removed on shutdown. A `SIGKILL` (e.g. exceeding the orchestrator's termination grace period) cannot be intercepted, so leave enough grace time for a clean stop; any temp secret files left by a hard kill are reaped by the OS temp cleaner.
+
 ### Authentication in CLI Commands
 
 When the broker requires authentication, every CLI command needs credentials. Pass them with `--user` and `--pass`, or set `MQDB_USER` and `MQDB_PASS` to avoid repeating them:
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-agent/Cargo.toml b/crates/mqdb-agent/Cargo.toml
index 91688731..88a13617 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-agent/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mqdb-agent/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "mqdb-agent"
-version = "0.8.15"
+version = "0.8.16"
 edition.workspace = true
 license = "Apache-2.0"
 authors.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-agent/src/agent/mod.rs b/crates/mqdb-agent/src/agent/mod.rs
index e8903231..f34c829e 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-agent/src/agent/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-agent/src/agent/mod.rs
@@ -250,6 +250,11 @@ impl MqdbAgent {
     /// # Errors
     /// Returns an error if the broker fails to start or encounters a runtime error.
     pub async fn run(&self) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error + Send + Sync>> {
+        // Subscribe before any startup await so a shutdown() racing the startup
+        // window (e.g. a SIGTERM during a slow bind/cert load) is buffered rather
+        // than lost by the broadcast channel.
+        let mut shutdown_rx = self.shutdown_tx.subscribe();
+
         let (mut config, service_username, service_password, needs_composite, admin_users) =
             self.build_broker_config().await?;
 
@@ -302,7 +307,10 @@ impl MqdbAgent {
         };
         let license_task = self.spawn_license_check_task();
 
-        broker.run().await?;
+        tokio::select! {
+            result = broker.run() => result?,
+            _ = shutdown_rx.recv() => info!("MQDB Agent shutting down"),
+        }
 
         let _ = self.shutdown_tx.send(());
         let _ = handler_task.await;
@@ -393,9 +401,15 @@ impl MqdbAgent {
             let _ = ready_tx.send(true);
         });
 
+        let mut shutdown_rx = shutdown_tx.subscribe();
         let handle = tokio::spawn(async move {
-            if let Err(e) = broker.run().await {
-                tracing::error!("broker error: {e}");
+            tokio::select! {
+                result = broker.run() => {
+                    if let Err(e) = result {
+                        tracing::error!("broker error: {e}");
+                    }
+                }
+                _ = shutdown_rx.recv() => info!("MQDB Agent shutting down"),
             }
             let _ = shutdown_tx.send(());
             let _ = handler_task.await;
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-agent/tests/admin_test.rs b/crates/mqdb-agent/tests/admin_test.rs
index 3bec39db..0e1e6011 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-agent/tests/admin_test.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-agent/tests/admin_test.rs
@@ -363,3 +363,24 @@ async fn test_list_query_complexity_limits_via_mqtt() {
     client.disconnect().await.unwrap();
     agent_handle.abort();
 }
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn agent_run_task_stops_on_shutdown() {
+    let port = next_test_port();
+    let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let db = Database::open(tmp.path()).await.unwrap();
+    let addr: SocketAddr = format!("127.0.0.1:{port}").parse().unwrap();
+    let agent = MqdbAgent::new(db)
+        .with_bind_address(addr)
+        .with_anonymous(true);
+    let (handle, mut ready_rx, shutdown) = agent.start().await.unwrap();
+    let _ = ready_rx.changed().await;
+
+    let _ = shutdown.send(());
+
+    tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(5), handle)
+        .await
+        .expect("run task must return after shutdown instead of blocking on the broker")
+        .expect("run task must not panic");
+    drop(tmp);
+}
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/mqdb-cli/Cargo.toml
index 3d84f00b..fa877df2 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "mqdb-cli"
-version = "0.8.22"
+version = "0.8.23"
 publish = false
 edition.workspace = true
 license = "AGPL-3.0-only"
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/agent.rs b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/agent.rs
index 813c666c..bf1b67f7 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/agent.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/agent.rs
@@ -207,7 +207,17 @@ pub(crate) async fn cmd_agent_start(
     }
 
     let agent = Arc::new(agent);
-    agent.run().await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let signal_agent = Arc::clone(&agent);
+    let signal_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
+        crate::commands::wait_for_shutdown_signal().await;
+        tracing::info!("shutdown signal received, stopping agent");
+        signal_agent.shutdown();
+    });
+
+    let run_result = agent.run().await;
+    signal_task.abort();
+    crate::commands::env_secret::cleanup();
+    run_result.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/cluster.rs b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/cluster.rs
index 69ea2f7f..76106305 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/cluster.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/cluster.rs
@@ -214,7 +214,17 @@ pub(crate) async fn cmd_cluster_start(
     }
 
     let mut agent = ClusteredAgent::new(config)?;
-    Box::pin(agent.run()).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let shutdown = agent.shutdown_handle();
+    let signal_task = tokio::spawn(async move {
+        crate::commands::wait_for_shutdown_signal().await;
+        tracing::info!("shutdown signal received, stopping cluster node");
+        let _ = shutdown.send(());
+    });
+
+    let run_result = Box::pin(agent.run()).await;
+    signal_task.abort();
+    crate::commands::env_secret::cleanup();
+    run_result.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/env_secret.rs b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/env_secret.rs
index 28f56508..8b50dfad 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/env_secret.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/env_secret.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,20 @@ fn secret_dir() -> PathBuf {
     std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("mqdb-env-secrets-{}", std::process::id()))
 }
 
+/// Remove the process-scoped temp directory holding inline secret files written
+/// from `MQDB_*` env vars, if it was created. Best-effort; called on shutdown.
+pub(crate) fn cleanup() {
+    let dir = secret_dir();
+    if dir.exists()
+        && let Err(e) = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir)
+    {
+        tracing::warn!(
+            "failed to remove temp secret directory {}: {e}; secret files may remain on disk",
+            dir.display()
+        );
+    }
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn write_temp_file(
     name: &str,
     content: &str,
@@ -83,3 +97,25 @@ pub(crate) fn resolve_federated_jwt_content(
     data.map(String::from)
         .or_else(|| file.as_ref().and_then(|p| std::fs::read_to_string(p).ok()))
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cleanup_removes_process_secret_dir() {
+        let dir = secret_dir();
+        let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);
+
+        cleanup();
+        assert!(!dir.exists(), "cleanup on an absent dir must be a no-op");
+
+        let path = write_temp_file("shutdown-cleanup-test", "value").unwrap();
+        assert!(dir.exists(), "secret dir must exist after write_temp_file");
+        assert!(path.exists());
+
+        cleanup();
+        assert!(!dir.exists(), "cleanup must remove the secret dir");
+        assert!(!path.exists());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/mod.rs b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
index b9b7ded6..85ab8ed6 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cli/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -14,3 +14,28 @@ pub(crate) mod dev;
 #[cfg(feature = "cluster")]
 pub(crate) mod dev_bench;
 pub(crate) mod env_secret;
+
+/// Resolve once a shutdown signal arrives: Ctrl-C (SIGINT) on every platform,
+/// plus SIGTERM on unix so `docker stop`/`systemctl stop` shut down gracefully.
+pub(crate) async fn wait_for_shutdown_signal() {
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    {
+        use tokio::signal::unix::{SignalKind, signal};
+        match signal(SignalKind::terminate()) {
+            Ok(mut sigterm) => {
+                tokio::select! {
+                    _ = tokio::signal::ctrl_c() => {}
+                    _ = sigterm.recv() => {}
+                }
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                tracing::warn!("failed to install SIGTERM handler: {e}; using SIGINT only");
+                let _ = tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    #[cfg(not(unix))]
+    {
+        let _ = tokio::signal::ctrl_c().await;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cluster/Cargo.toml b/crates/mqdb-cluster/Cargo.toml
index 0fcdf3dd..c7ebe7f6 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cluster/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cluster/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "mqdb-cluster"
-version = "0.4.6"
+version = "0.4.7"
 publish = false
 edition.workspace = true
 license = "AGPL-3.0-only"
diff --git a/crates/mqdb-cluster/src/cluster_agent/mod.rs b/crates/mqdb-cluster/src/cluster_agent/mod.rs
index b750d6dd..46e9ac36 100644
--- a/crates/mqdb-cluster/src/cluster_agent/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/mqdb-cluster/src/cluster_agent/mod.rs
@@ -174,6 +174,13 @@ impl ClusteredAgent {
         let _ = self.shutdown_tx.send(());
     }
 
+    /// A handle that can trigger graceful shutdown from another task while `run`
+    /// holds `&mut self`.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn shutdown_handle(&self) -> broadcast::Sender<()> {
+        self.shutdown_tx.clone()
+    }
+
     #[must_use]
     pub fn node_id(&self) -> NodeId {
         self.node_id